Vodafone Connects Mobike’s Bike-Sharing Scheme in Singapore

It looks like connected transportation is not going to be limited to planes, trains and automobiles, anymore. Now, it’s happening on two spoked wheels: bicycle wheels. According to a new announcement, Vodafone is providing all the managed Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for bike sharing company Mobike’s operations in Singapore, which is the company’s first outside of China.

The Vodafone connectivity will support the Mobike service including GPS navigation, which helps consumers to locate and book an available bike, and the proprietary QR code based locking system. The GPS system is powered by a solar panel which removes the need for manual charging.

“Vodafone’s market leading IoT platform is helping to power successful sharing economy players around the world,” said Ivo Rook, Head of IoT, Vodafone. “Mobike has been hugely successful in its home market and we look forward to seeing how our suite of IoT services will be able to help to support its global expansion strategy.”

Unlike other traditional bike sharing schemes that require customers to return bikes to dedicated racks, Mobikes can be securely parked in any authorized location in a city.

“We were looking for a partner who could provide us with support around the world and the one who understood our business, Vodafone has proved to be an engaged and innovative partner and offers a global footprint which matches our ambitions,” said Florian Bohnert, head of international expansion, Mobike.

Mobike launched in April 2016 and now operates in 33 cities. It has more than one million bikes in operation, and has completed over 200 million trips. In its latest round of fundraising, the company raised more than $300 million, including an investment from Singapore-based Temasek. The Singapore launch is the first step in plans to take Mobike to other markets in Asia, Europe and the Americas.